Best Secondary Schools in Cheshire West and Chester 2026

Ranked by Ofsted rating, exam results, attendance, and class sizes. 20 schools across Cheshire West and Chester. Updated with 2025–26 data.

Cheshire West and Chester has 20 open secondary schools. Of the 20 with a published Ofsted inspection, 1 (5%) held a historic grade of Outstanding and 85% held Good or Outstanding — these are the last single-word grades from before Ofsted retired them on 10 November 2025 (how we treat Ofsted data). On our composite Schools Near Me score, The County High School, Leftwich currently leads the local rankings. Closed schools are excluded from every list on this page.

Use the ranked table below to compare schools side by side, then open any school for the full picture. Application deadlines in Cheshire West and Chester follow the national calendar: 31 October for Year 7 secondary entry and 15 January for Reception primary entry, with offers on 1 March and 16 April respectively.

20
Total schools
1
Outstanding (historic grade)
5%
of inspected schools (pre-Nov-2025)
62%
Avg KS2 SATs
38.5
Avg GCSE A8
All schools Primary Secondary
Rank School Ofsted (historic) SNM Score
🥇 The County High School, Leftwich
Secondary
 Outstanding 75 View school
🥈 Tarporley High School and Sixth Form College
Secondary
 Good 71 View school
🥉 Christleton High School
Secondary
 Good 71 View school
4. Bishop Heber High School
Secondary
 Good 70 View school
5. The Bishops' Blue Coat Church of England High School
Secondary
 Good 70 View school
6. Weaverham High School
Secondary
 Good 66 View school
7. St Nicholas Catholic High School
Secondary
 Good 66 View school
8. Hartford Church of England High School
Secondary
 Good 65 View school
9. Upton-by-Chester High School
Secondary
 Good 64 View school
10. Helsby High School
Secondary
 Good 61 View school
11. The Catholic High School, Chester
Secondary
 Good 61 View school
12. Neston High School
Secondary
 Good 57 View school
13. The Whitby High School
Secondary
 Good 51 View school
14. Ellesmere Port Church of England College
Secondary
 Good 51 View school
15. The Rudheath Senior Academy
Secondary
 Good 47 View school
16. Chester International School
Secondary
 Good 46 View school
17. Queen's Park High School
Secondary
 Good 43 View school
18. Ellesmere Port Catholic High School, a Voluntary Academy
Secondary
 Requires Improvement 39 View school
19. Blacon High School, A Specialist Sports College
Secondary
 Requires Improvement 34 View school
20. The Winsford Academy
Secondary
 Requires Improvement 31 View school

Ranked by the Schools Near Me score. Ofsted grades shown are each school's last single-word grade from before 10 November 2025, when Ofsted retired single-word overall judgements — they are historic and not comparable to the new report cards. How we use Ofsted data. Closed schools are excluded.

Related lists for Cheshire West and Chester

Best primary schools in Cheshire West and ChesterTop-ranked Reception–Year 6 Best secondary schools in Cheshire West and ChesterTop-ranked Year 7 onwards All schools in Cheshire West and ChesterPrimary & secondary combined Primary schools in Cheshire West and ChesterReception–Year 6 only How the Schools Near Me score worksOur ranking methodology, explained

Nearby areas

Schools in HaltonCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in WarringtonCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in LiverpoolCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in KnowsleyCompare neighbouring authority

See full data for any school in Cheshire West and Chester

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Frequently asked questions

How many secondary schools are there in Cheshire West and Chester?
There are 20 open secondary schools in Cheshire West and Chester (closed schools are excluded). 1 of the 20 with a published inspection held a historic Ofsted grade of Outstanding (the last single-word grade before single-word grades were retired on 10 November 2025).
What are the best-rated secondary schools in Cheshire West and Chester?
On our Schools Near Me score, the top-ranked secondary school in Cheshire West and Chester is The County High School, Leftwich. The full ranked table above lists the top 20 schools with their score and last historic Ofsted grade. We never list closed schools.
How is the Schools Near Me score calculated?
The Schools Near Me score is a 0–100 composite combining the school's last historic Ofsted grade, published exam and assessment results, attendance and pupil–teacher ratio. It is not an Ofsted rating. Full methodology: https://schoolsnearme.ai/methodology#score
Are Ofsted single-word grades still current in Cheshire West and Chester?
No. Ofsted retired single-word overall grades (Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement, Inadequate) on 10 November 2025 and replaced them with report cards. Any single-word grade shown on this page is the school's last historic grade from before that date and is not comparable to the new report cards. See https://schoolsnearme.ai/methodology#ofsted
How do I apply for a school place in Cheshire West and Chester?
Primary and secondary applications in Cheshire West and Chester are coordinated by the local authority on the national timetable: apply by 31 October for Year 7 secondary entry and by 15 January for Reception primary entry, with offers on 1 March and 16 April respectively. Check the Cheshire West and Chester council website for local forms and any in-year rules.

Data sourced from Ofsted, Department for Education, and ISI. School rankings reflect the Schools Near Me composite score combining Ofsted ratings, exam results, attendance, and pupil-teacher ratios. Last updated April 2026.